Working in the United States of America is like a dream come true for a lot of people from all over the world. In spite of having many other options in other countries to work, people tend to choose the U.S. arguably because of its high standard of living, good salaries, huge growth potential, convenient working environments and more.
Millions of people from other countries already work in the U.S. and millions more join the workforce each year.
That being said let’s see how people like you from other countries could also work in the U.S.
To work in the U.S. as an immigrant you must have a valid work permit (also known as a EAD card), a valid work visa or a Green card.
There are different requirements to get at least one of them. It depends on who you are, what job you take up in the U.S., what immigration status you have and more. Continue reading to get an idea of how you might be able to get at least one of the above to work in the U.S.
Work Permit
A work permit or an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is a credit card-sized plastic card containing some basic info about the worker, their photo and expiration date. It is issued to you by the USCIS if you meet certain eligibility requirements. To apply for Employment Authorization Document you need to file Form I-765 with the USCIS.
The specific categories that are eligible to apply for an EAD include (but are not limited to):
- Asylees and asylum seekers;
- Refugees;
- Students seeking particular types of employment;
- Applicants to adjust to permanent residence status;
- People in or applying for temporary protected status;
- Fiancés and spouses of American citizens;
- Dependents of foreign government officials;
- J-2 spouse or minor child of an Exchange Visitor;
- Spouse of an E-1/E-2 Treaty Trader or Investor;
- Spouse of an L-1 Intra-company Transferee.
It can also be issued upon request if you need work authorization to work until your current immigration status is changed or your immigration application is being processed.
USCIS Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization consists of 7 pages and 27 more pages of instructions to help you fill it. Typically immigration forms are complex and confusing and it applies to Form I-765 as well. Simple mistakes can prove to be a big deal.
Mistakes could lead to rejection or sometimes denials and you could lose the USCIS filing fee. Then you might have to go through the process again and also pay the filing fees once more. So to avoid such mistakes you can use our online software to prepare and complete Form I-765. We make the form questions and instructions easier and provide value-added services to make your life much easier. Best of all, we have more than 10 years of experience and have helped over half a million people to prepare their immigration forms.
Work Visas
There are many work visas available which allow you to work in the U.S. Among the work visas, few require an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and a few work visas allow you to work in the U.S. even without having an Employment Authorization Document.
Since there are a lot of visas we have covered them in this article titled U.S.Visas. You can learn more about work-related visas from the above article.
Green Card
Finally, there is the famous Green Card. A Green Card is a document that allows you to live and work in the U.S. permanently. If you have a green card, you may not need an employment authorization.
Instead, the Green Card on its own is enough proof that you are legally allowed to work in the United States. Green Cards are also the gateway to U.S. citizenship. If you would like to learn more about Green Card, how to get a Green Card and more then check this article about “Green Card”.
